Namaste or Whatever

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project © Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project © Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project View all images ↓
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"Namaste or Whatever" explores India-West relations through photography's colonial history. It critiques clichés and cultural appropriation, questioning inherited biases and global expectations, while striving to present nuanced narratives of India

"Namaste or Whatever" is a visual research project that investigates the complex relationship between India and the West, using the history of photography as a point of reference. Through this work, I explore how photography has been used to perpetuate clichés, appropriate culture, and shape perceptions, often reinforcing colonial narratives.

Photography was introduced to India by the British in the mid-1850s, serving as a tool to catalog ethnicities, communities, and landscapes. This process reduced India to an exotic spectacle, framing it through the lens of Western desires and power. Historically, the term "Indian Photography" often referred to images of India created by outsiders, continuing a fraught dialogue between India and the West. The British gaze isolated subjects from the web of meanings they were embedded in, robbing them of their depth and spirit.

As an artist, I confront similar questions. Raised in India but deeply influenced by Western media, I often find my own work interrogated for perpetuating visual clichés. My photographs of India when I first picked up a camera can be critiqued as reflecting a Western gaze—depicting a poverty-stricken, yoga-obsessed, overpopulated land. These critiques forced me to reflect on how global narratives shape not only international perceptions but also the way I see and represent my own country. In my practice, I question the inherent biases I have internalized, exploring the tension between cultural authenticity and global expectations.

Ultimately, "Namaste or Whatever" interrogates questions of audience and purpose: Who is art for, and how do we present it authentically to our own communities? The project aims to dismantle inherited narratives, challenge visual clichés, and foster a nuanced understanding of Indian identity in global consciousness.

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
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Critiqued for reinforcing Western clichés of India, I vowed to unlearn inherited biases. Moving to the Netherlands exposed me to new photographic practices, pushing me to question my own gaze and archive. This journey reshapes how I view and represent my homeland.

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
i

Namaste or Whatever reflects on photography's history and my archive, questioning what I choose to frame. Initially intuitive, my practice shifted post-graduation, navigating external expectations and rediscovering joy in creating without rigid boundaries.

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
i

Despite its 1972 ban, snake charming persists as a commodified spectacle in places like Banaras. Cobras, sacred in Hinduism, are defanged and exploited, reflecting the complex dynamics of tradition, survival, and cultural commodification.

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
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Photography embodies appropriation, framing some elements while omitting others. Cropping my archive, I reflect on what’s left unseen. This process transforms forgotten details into new narratives, challenging the act of framing as both creation and erasure.

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
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Capturing sacred moments, like cremation rites, raises ethical questions about photography’s role. Inspired by Sohrab Hura’s critique of documenting grief, I wrestle with the responsibility of representing such moments respectfully and authentically.

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
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A wrecked vehicle symbolizes the fragmentation of narratives under colonial photography. Its barren setting critiques visual domination, questioning who defines culture. This image urges photography’s reclamation as a medium for authentic self-representation.

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
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Growing up in Delhi, I witnessed shifts in history and freedom of speech. Distance renewed my love for the city but also revealed its discomforts.

© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
© Aaryan Sinha - Image from the Namaste or Whatever photography project
i

The wrestler’s intense gaze confronts the audience, challenging their role in consuming art. This photograph critiques the divide between art for its own community and art seeking external validation, exploring representation as a bridge, not a barrier.